1. Field of the Invention
The field of art to which this invention pertains is catalyst regeneration apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a regeneration apparatus which is applicable for use in regenerating fluidizable catalytic cracking catalyst which has become spent by deposition of coke thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In most regeneration processes presently employed the oxidation of coke from spent catalyst is done in a single-vessel regeneration apparatus containing one or more dense beds located in the bottom of the apparatus with a large dilute-phase disengaging space positioned above and in connection with the dense bed. In this type of regeneration process the dense bed is maintained in the bottom portion of the apparatus by limiting the superficial velocity of the incoming fresh regeneration gas to transport velocity, that is, the velocity above which large amounts of catalyst would be carried out of the dense bed to the disengaging space. Typical velocities are therefore less than about 3 feet per second with 1.5 to 2.5 being the usual range. Provisions are made for recovering and returning to the dense bed any catalyst entrained in the flue gas effluent passing from the dense bed. This is generally carried out by passing this effluent flue gas containing entrained catalyst through separation means such as cyclone spearation devices located in the disengaging space and returning separated catalyst to the same dense bed. Average residence time of the catalyst within the apparatus per pass through the apparatus is generally in the 2 to 5 minute range with 2 to 3 minutes being the more common, while the residence time of gas is generally within the range of 10 to 20 seconds. All of the regenerated catalyst is returned directly from the regeneration apparatus to the reaction zone without additional passes through any part of the regeneration apparatus.
It is also present practice to operate conventional regeneration apparatus in a manner to preclude the essentially complete combustion of the CO that is produced by coke oxidation. This is generally done by controlling the oxygen-containing gas stream introduced to such regeneration apparatus directly responsive to a rather small predetermined temperature differential between the flue gas outlet or the disengaging space and the dense bed of the regeneration apparatus. Excess oxygen within the regeneration apparatus is thus minimized thereby severely limiting CO afterburning to only that amount characterized by the small temperature differential.
Since the conversion of CO to CO.sub.2 is quite exothermic, this restricting of CO afterburning in conventional regeneration apparatus is done for the very practical reason of avoiding the damaging effects of excessively high temperatures in the upper disengaging space region of the regeneration apparatus where there is little catalyst present to act as a heat sink. This practice, as exemplified by Pohlenz U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,161,583 and 3,206,391, produces a small amount of oxygen in the flue gas, generally in the range of about 0.1 to 1% oxygen, results in the flue gas containing from about 7 to about 14 vol. % CO and limits the temperatures achieved in the regeneration apparatus to a maximum of about 1275.degree. F. Present industry practice is to direct the flue gas containing CO to the atmosphere or to a CO boiler where it is used as fuel to make steam.
Controlling the amount of fresh regeneration gas to permit a slight amount of afterburning and the once-through flow of catalyst through the regeneration apparatus essentially fixes the degree of catalyst regeneration, that is, the amount of residual coke on regenerated catalyst. Although it is widely known that the residual coke content on regenerated catalyst has a great influence on the conversion and the product distribution obtained from the hydrocarbon reaction zone, residual coke level on regenerated catalyst produced by present regeneration processes conducted in conventional regeneration apparatus is not an independent variable but is fixed by regeneration apparatus design at a level typically from about 0.05 to about 0.4 wt. % carbon, and more often from about 0.15 to about 0.35 wt. % carbon.
The apparatus of my invention provides for essentially complete combustion within the apparatus of the CO produced and for recovery within the apparatus of at least a portion of the heat of combustion. This is distinguished from conventional regeneration apparatus which permit only small limited amounts of CO afterburning with essentially no recovery of the potential chemical heat within the apparatus. My invention recognizes the differences in the kinetics of coke oxidation and CO oxidation and provides separate regions within the regeneration apparatus for each to take place. Coke is oxidized primarily in a dense bed of fluidized catalyst in the spent-catalyst receiving chamber to produce regenerated catalyst and partially-spent regeneration gas which are passed through a transfer conduit where essentially complete CO oxidation takes place to produce spent regeneration gas and where heat of combustion is transferred to the regenerated catalyst passing through that zone. An internal regenerated-catalyst recycle means is provided to return a portion of hot regenerated catalyst from the transfer conduit to the dense bed of catalyst in the spent-catalyst receiving chamber in amounts to increase the temperature and the density in the spent-catalyst receiving chamber thereby increasing both the rate and extent of coke oxidation. Additionally, the rate of CO burning in the transfer conduit is also increased because of the higher inlet temperature thereby producing lower CO concentrations in the spent regeneration gas leaving the apparatus. Spent regeneration gas and the remainder of the regenerated catalyst pass into a regenerated-catalyst receiving chamber, catalyst and gas are separated by separation devices and regenerated catalyst is directed to a dense bed in the bottom portion of the regenerated-catalyst receiving chamber. Regenerated catalyst from the regenerated-catalyst receiving chamber is returned to the hydrocarbon reaction zone at a temperature higher than that obtained in non-CO-burning regeneration zones thereby permitting reduced hydrocarbon feed preheat requirements.